Celebrity Reflection specialty restaurants all $70 no packages available Christmas cruise

[beltsbear]

Pretty disappointed.  Normally we go to the lawn club grill or Tucson during the cruise. Instead of paying $33 a person a night in a package or $45 not in a package, the only choice is $70 each.  I would have gone on a different cruise line for this week if I would have known this in advance.   We have been on other Christmas cruises and not experienced that. 
 

also, this is not for special days like Christmas, that’s even higher, which I understand.  

[wrk2cruise]

Greed

[yorky]

It really is what value each individual places on a meal in a speciality restaurant. Many refuse to pay any extra stating they have already paid for their meals in the cruise price. A small percentage like ourselves think more along the lines of with what we have already paid we see upgrading our evening meal experience as well worth the extra. We had a conversation with a staff member in a Murano in September. He felt many people only though about the food and not the bigger picture of the service and ambiance with the personal touch and time that staff had to interact  a huge part of the meal and not something staff were able to do in the MDR. Would we pay $70 per person in Murano, yes we probably would because for us the evening meal experience on our holiday is huge and more important than paying $100 per person for let’s say a cruise excursion. We are well aware though we are very much in the minority.

[bikerunner]

3 minutes ago, yorky said:

It really is what value each individual places on a meal in a speciality restaurant. Many refuse to pay any extra stating they have already paid for their meals in the cruise price. A small percentage like ourselves think more along the lines of with what we have already paid we see upgrading our evening meal experience as well worth the extra. We had a conversation with a staff member in a Murano in September. He felt many people only though about the food and not the bigger picture of the service and ambiance with the personal touch and time that staff had to interact  a huge part of the meal and not something staff were able to do in the MDR. Would we pay $70 per person in Murano, yes we probably would because for us the evening meal experience on our holiday is huge and more important than paying $100 per person for let’s say a cruise excursion. We are well aware though we are very much in the minority.

I completely agree with everything you said so I must be in the minority also.  

[Bo1953]

39 minutes ago, beltsbear said:

Pretty disappointed.  Normally we go to the lawn club grill or Tucson during the cruise. Instead of paying $33 a person a night in a package or $45 not in a package, the only choice is $70 each.  I would have gone on a different cruise line for this week if I would have known this in advance.   We have been on other Christmas cruises and not experienced that. 
 

also, this is not for special days like Christmas, that’s even higher, which I understand.  

It may not be too late to ask if you can change ships in the fleet during your sail week or not?

 

If you have CFAR, that might work, long shot though...

 

If you happen to believe that paying $70 pp for Murano is not of value, skip it all together and go to venues that offer pricing (or none additional) that you believe are of value.

 

Personally, I believe it is, then again each of us have our value propositions for such venues when sailing. This is yours.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

[ClaudiaB]

41 minutes ago, bikerunner said:

I completely agree with everything you said so I must be in the minority also.  

You are not alone.   We have an 11-night cruise in February on Reflection and we chose a 'regular' cabin instead of a sky suite or AQ like we usually do, and will be eating every evening meal in a specialty restaurant, courtesy a lot of OBC from our online TA.   We got all 4 perks when we booked as well, so our experience looks to be quite nice for an excellent price.   If circumstances were different, we'd also pay the uncharge for specialty meals on a Christmas cruise (IF we were to ever take one) for the ambiance.

[beltsbear]

It’s worse because of the lack of packages as well.   We often get the 4 pack.  Doubling the price without warning sucks. 

[jelayne]

Although we haven’t done a cruise over Christmas I read on  CC a few years ago that dining packages weren’t offered at Christmas time.   I guess there is enough demand that they can fill the restaurants at a premium price.

FYI, the prices have been raised on the dining packages.  For ships other than the Edge the 3 night package increased from $109pp to $129pp, so not a real saving on Tuscan or the Lawn Grill. 

Enjoy your cruise.

[mcrcruiser]

From when we last sailed a X ship these special restaurant prices have  increased dramatically   .

 

 Take a typical X cruise price  ,add the special restaurant costs ,liquor ie & perhaps you be better off booking a all inclusive luxury  cruise line ,where there are no additional costs .just a thought 

 

  

Edited December 20, 2019 by mcrcruiser

[jrs101]

I’ve emailed about this and they did say it is a special holiday menu.   Would be interesting to see one.   Or I’ll take a pic next week. 

[39august]

That would be very thoughtful of you. 

[cyntil8ing]

We booked Fine Cut Steakhouse on Edge for Christmas night right after we booked the cruise. It was the normal $55 price.

 

About a month ago, I wanted to change our dining time, but found the price had risen to $70 and it was now a special holiday menu. I kept my original booking. Not sure which menu we will get.

 

The holiday menu is available in the Celebrity app, but I don't have my phone available right now. I'll try to post it later.

[hcat]

That's pricey for an upcharge considering these restaurants used to charge extra only for  what they claimed were extra grats.  Nothing close to what they charge now....and quality is not the same these days.

 

Best deal for us  was EDGE with the 4 mdr plan..but on Ref you'll be stuck with the same mdr each night or the buffet.. hope they will do some special things there!

[Georgia_Peaches]

In my opinion it is greedy to charge $70 pp during a Christmas cruise in a specialty that would ordinarily be $35 to $40 pp any other week of the year.  If the menu is special because of the occasion, I would sure like to know what it entails.  I get that the ambiance and attention that one receives in a specialty is factored into the price.  That's reasonable.  But will one get an additional $35-$40 (to amount to $70 pp) worth of better service and better ambiance during a Christmas cruise over what they would have gotten during other sailings?  

The notion of booking a less expensive cabin and then eating every meal in a specialty restaurant is interesting.  Especially if it saves money and includes the usual perks as well.  

Edited December 21, 2019 by Georgia_Peaches

[Bo1953]

7 hours ago, beltsbear said:

It’s worse because of the lack of packages as well.   We often get the 4 pack.  Doubling the price without warning sucks. 

Understandable, yet I believe it is a case of going ahead and purchasing in advance, if, in the ever remote case that you may want to eat in a specialty as opposed waiting for 'lower prices' or getting the usual discount aboard.

 

Someones crystal ball was not working when thinking about SD's.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

[NMTraveller]

Are they doing this for all Christmas sailings?

[yorky]

13 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

From when we last sailed a X ship these special restaurant prices have  increased dramatically   .

 

 Take a typical X cruise price  ,add the special restaurant costs ,liquor ie & perhaps you be better off booking a all inclusive luxury  cruise line ,where there are no additional costs .just a thought 

 

  

When we have priced up the luxury lines they have always been at least double the cost, even when factoring in the all inclusive element. I think if you don’t work and can be totally flexible it’s maybe possible to get a deal but for people like ourselves who need to book a year in advance no so much.

[MarLieb]

7 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

Are they doing this for all Christmas sailings?

 

Summit is also charging $70 for Tuscan next week and more for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  

[Travrat]

Same on the Equinox! It is pure greed and totally taking advantage of people! You are already paying a premium to do the Christmas sailing and then to double dip by increasing the upcharge for specialty dining puts a bad taste in my mouth!

I used my OBC to pay for it but I was not happy about it. $70pp is ridiculous but $119pp is Highway robbery! That I won’t do. The food and service is not even close to that #! 

[PTC DAWG]

It costs more to travel around the Holiday season...I assumed this was common knowledge

[NMTraveller]

Can you sign up for the specialty dining package for the length of the cruise for these Christmas cruises?  If so how much is that?

[Bo1953]

47 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

It costs more to travel around the Holiday season...I assumed this was common knowledge

LOL, for some of us it is common knowledge and accepted, then again when there are no bargains when expected or experienced in the past, we scream or so it seems....

 

Then there are other times when one can cruise if pricing is an issue for high demand holidays and vacation times.

 

While we choose to book sailings when we want to go and are happy with the pricing, I support those who complain and loudly to get me lower pricing even though I would possibly never do that myself as I know there are other options to choose from if I Am not happy...  😎

 

bon voyage

Edited December 21, 2019 by Bo1953

[cruznjan]

Cha-ching!

[jelayne]

Not unusual to have restaurants raise prices for the holidays.  The higher end restaurants around the city all have higher prices and “holiday” menus during Christmas and New Years.  Airlines and hotels/resorts also raise prices at the holidays, simply supply and demand. 

[beltsbear]

1 hour ago, NMTraveller said:

Can you sign up for the specialty dining package for the length of the cruise for these Christmas cruises?  If so how much is that?

No packages are available. Just $70 pp. and for those saying the menu is special, no it is not. There is a special menu Christmas Eve. That is $109 per person not $79.